Music career

1993-1997: Early years

Under stage name "Fat Joe da Gangsta" and part of D.I.T.C., Cartegena was signed to Relativity Records in the early 1990s, recording material and working with many artists in which he would sign to his label. In 1993, his debut album Represent was released, featuring production from The Beatnuts, Diamond D, Lord Finesse, and others. Its lead single "Flow Joe" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart; other minor singles from the album included "Watch the Sound" and "This Shit is Real".

In 1995, Fat Joe released his second studio album, Jealous One's Envy, which peaked at #71 on The Billboard 200 and at #7 on Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums. The album featured a guest appearance from KRS-One and production from Diamond D. The lead single was "Success", which did not chart, but his second single, "Envy" peaked at #8 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The success of this album led Fat Joe to be featured on the remix of LL Cool J's single "I Shot Ya" along with Foxy Brown, Keith Murray and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.

1998-2005: Signing to Atlantic Records, Terror Squad

Released in 1998, Don Cartagena was Joe's third album and his first for Atlantic Records. It peaked on The Billboard 200 at #7 and #2 on Top R&B/Hip Hop albums, eventually being certified gold by the RIAA. The album featured two hit singles "Bet Ya Man Can't (Triz)", and "Don Cartagena". Guest appearances included Nas, Diddy, Big Pun, Raekwon, Jadakiss, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Within the album, Fat Joe debuted his own group Terror Squad that consisted of the late Big Pun, as well as Cuban Link, Triple Seis, Prospect, Armageddon and later Remy Ma.

Fat Joe released his fourth album Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.) in 2001, featuring production from the then-popular Irv Gotti. The album featured a star-studded line up from the likes of Ashanti, Ja Rule, N.O.R.E., Busta Rhymes, Petey Pablo, M.O.P., Ludacris, R. Kelly, Buju Banton, and artists from his Terror Squad label. The lead single "We Thuggin" featuring R. Kelly was a big hit in late 2001, but would not reach the level of the Irv Gotti-produced "What's Luv?" which was a massive hit in early 2002 and featured Murder Inc. superstars Ja Rule and Ashanti. The album was Fat Joe's biggest hit as it was successful from its January release all the way into May, being certified platinum. However, Fat Joe's fifth album Loyalty, out in 2002 and featuring production from Irv Gotti, was not as successful. Despite the setback, Fat Joe scored a number-one hit in 2004 with his group Terror Squad, collaborating with Remy Ma on the Scott Storch production "Lean Back" from the album True Story.

Three years later, in 2005, Fat Joe released his sixth album All Or Nothing, noted for featuring the popular diss track "My Fofo" aimed at fellow New York rapper 50 Cent, who had dissed Joe for recording with Ja Rule. All or Nothing spawned the singles "So Much More" and "Get It Poppin" featuring Nelly, also with guest appearances from Eminem, Ma$e, Remy Ma, Mashonda, and R. Kelly.

2006-present: Terror Squad Entertainment signing

Me, Myself & I is Fat Joe's seventh album that was released in 2006. It was his first album released on his new deal with Virgin Records. It was his first album since Jealous One's Envy not to receive RIAA certification. It featured the hit single "Make It Rain" with southern rapper Lil Wayne, followed by "No Drama (Clap and Revolve)". About a year after the release of Me, Myself, & I, Fat Joe announced plans for his eighth solo studio album The Elephant in the Room, to be distributed by Imperial Records, a division of Capitol Records and Terror Squad Entertainment.

Conflicts

Jay-Z

In 1998, a fight began with Jay-Z when Terror Squad was performing at the same stadium, when it was time for Jay to leave stage he refused to. He was obviously drunk but Big Pun probably hit Jay over the head with a liquor bottle. Since that incident they have had a minor fight which was in the shadow of the Nas vs. Jay-Z feud. Fat Joe commented on the feud in an MTV interview in 2003, where he showed full support for Nas and his fight with Jay-Z. Fat Joe has mentioned times before that he does not like Jay-Z. They have been recording disses at each other ever since the incident at the performance. In 2005, it was rumored that Jay-Z would diss Fat Joe at the "I Declare War" concert, but instead he ended his fight with Nas, which angered Fat Joe, who said that he was shocked at how easily Nas gave up and also talked about how he doesn't look up to Nas anymore. His fight with Nas would be ended shortly thereafter, but he and Jay-Z continue to throw stuff at each other. Fat Joe has dissed Jay by always commenting on how LL Cool J is one of the best rappers ever and how Nas won that battle. Jay-Z has dissed Joe by sometimes hanging around with 50 Cent and saying that he had to come back because he was the last of a dying breed which is mentioned on his new single, Blue Magic. Also Jay-Z and 50 Cent agreed to have Freeway have a joint venture in Roc-A-Fella Records and G-Unit Records. Fat Joe has taken shots by recording songs with LL Cool J, R. Kelly, DMX, and Lil Wayne, which are all rappers that have had or do have a problem with Jay-Z. When Dame Dash left Roc-A-Fella, Fat Joe gave his full support to Dame and associates himself with The Diplomats. Lil Wayne has since appeared on Jay-Z's new album American Gangster.

G-Unit

Rapper 50 Cent attacked Fat Joe in his 2005 song "Piggy Bank", from The Massacre. Angered by Joe's collaboration with Ja Rule, 50 said "that fat nigga thought 'Lean Back' was 'In Da Club' / my shit sold eleven mil, his shit was a dud."

Fat Joe went on record as being confused by 50's anger towards him. He also suggested that he and 50 Cent met in New York and have a fistfight. More interestingly, he attacked 50's street credibility, claiming that 50 had never literally appeared "in the club", while Fat Joe has built his reputation on live club performances. He offered $1,000 to anybody who would come forward with a picture of 50 Cent in a nightclub. No attempts have been publicly made towards taking the $1,000 prize. Within days of "Piggy Bank" leaking, an untitled response from Fat Joe had appeared online with the chorus being sung to the tune of The Flintstones' theme song. MP3 versions were variously titled "Fake Gangsta", "Fuck 50", and simply "Fat Joe 50 Diss Track". It was finally officially released as "My FoFo" (referring to a .44 Magnum) as a bonus track on All or Nothing, along with the "Lean Back" remix featuring Eminem and Lil' Jon.

At the 2005 MTV VMA's, while Fat Joe introduced the Reggaeton act featuring Daddy Yankee, Joe remarked “I feel safe with all the police protection, courtesy of G-Unit." Shortly after 50 Cent and other members of G-Unit can be heard yelling obscenities at Fat Joe which weren't bleeped out during the initial broadcast. It is also rumored he jumped on stage as Fat Joe was leaving. Later in the show 50 again retaliated with obscenities (this time mostly bleeped out), during a performance featuring Mobb Deep and Tony Yayo.

Terror Squad

Joe has received criticism for releasing only one solo album by a former Terror Squad member, Remy Ma, as well as barely featuring original members Prospect and Armageddon on "True Story." Terror Squad singer Tony Sunshine has had possible album release dates pushed back over three years, and Joe had stated that artists Prospect and Armageddon have not released solo albums yet as the result of them being "really lazy".

Former Terror Squad member Triple Seis also went on record when asked who had written Fat Joe's lyrics, stating that he and Pun were Joe's ghostwriters, and asserts that Joe continues to hire ghostwriters.

Discography

• 1993: Represent
• 1995: Jealous One's Envy
• 1998: Don Cartagena
• 2001: Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)
• 2002: Loyalty
• 2005: All or Nothing
• 2006: Me, Myself & I
• 2008: The Elephant in the Room

Mixtapes

• 2007/2008: (Name not released; will be coming out before the 2008 album The Elephant in the Room)

Collaboration albums

With D.I.T.C.

• 2000: D.I.T.C.

With Terror Squad

• 1999: Terror Squad
• 2004: True Story
• 2008: A New Story

Filmography

• Thicker Than Water (Lonzo Medina) (1999)
• Prison Song (2001)
• Empire (2002)
• Scary Movie 3 (2003)
• Happy Feet (Seymour) (2006)